On the evening of June 19, the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana delivered a marquee clash between international powerhouses in men’s doubles. Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Hiruki Matsushima faced off against Germany’s elite pair Qiu Dang and Benedikt Duda in a highly anticipated Round of 16 match. Despite a hard-fought five-game battle, the Japanese duo came up short, losing 2-3 and crashing out in their opening round, while the German team advanced narrowly to continue their title pursuit.
High Expectations, Uneven Execution
Tomokazu Harimoto, born in 2003, and Hiruki Matsushima, born in 2007, are both Japanese National Champions in men’s singles and known for their high technical ceilings. However, their doubles chemistry remains inconsistent, with fluctuations in performance often linked to Matsushima’s erratic play. In this match too, his form was seen as the decisive variable.
On the other side, Qiu Dang and Benedikt Duda are not only one of Germany’s top pairings but also rank among Europe’s best. With both boasting high-level singles credentials, the matchup was a coin flip from the outset.
Match Summary
Game 1: Harimoto/Matsushima held steady early on, but coordination issues soon emerged. The Germans pulled away to lead 10-5, and although the Japanese pair recovered one point via a lucky edge, they fell 6-11.
Game 2: A breathtaking rally kicked off the set, with both sides showcasing impressive speed and reflexes. Harimoto and Matsushima found rhythm, pulling ahead 10-7 and closing it 11-8 to level the match.
Game 3: Qiu Dang’s quick penhold attacks near the table and Duda’s heavy European loops proved too much. Germany surged to a 6-10 lead and sealed it 11-6, regaining the upper hand.
Game 4: Japan initially led but was soon overtaken 5-6, prompting a timeout. After a tense exchange and another German timeout at 9-8, the Japanese saved match point at 9-10 and fought back heroically to win 17-15, forcing a decider.
Game 5: Qiu/Duda once again took early control, and despite Japan closing the gap to 4-5, they lost momentum, conceding five of the next six points. The Germans reached 10-5 and finished off the match 11-5, knocking out the Japanese pair in the Round of 16.
Sanweisport-Professional Table Tennis Equipment Provider
Only 11.9 USD
- Taiji 210 bat is an allround premade high quality table tennis bat for the starters, it’s the best seller and the most popular bat of the Taiji Bat series.
- The blade is made by 7 layers of decent pure wood, coated by two sides of ITTF approved rubber makes it useable for competition, with a comfortable flared handle.
- It saves your time for selecting from thousands of combinations and just gives you the right one with great quality/price ratio.
- 2-Stars Table Tennis Bat is perfect for amateur gamers !
- If you are interested in table tennis equipment, you can visit our Sanweisport homepage to select the most professional table tennis equipment. We will provide you with the best table tennis blades, rubbers, bat, and other products!
This marks Harimoto’s first defeat of the tournament and an early exit for the promising Japanese pairing. The German duo advances to the quarterfinals, continuing their quest for the men’s doubles title in Ljubljana.
